WATCH AND LEARN ALL ABOUT IT

Devote a family bulletin board (or use a large sheet of poster board) to the Olympic Games. Help your children find, count out and display newspaper and online articles of athletes they are rooting for and admire (www.nbcolympics.com). To add to the spirit of the games, make a chart with their favorite athletes' names, countries and sports. Note achievements with stickers as the games progress this week.

Sports figures often become valuable role models for our children. Ask your children what personal characteristics they think led to the success of particular athletes, especially those who might come from your own community.

OLYMPIC GAMES IN YOUR BACK YARD

Share the spirit of the Olympic Games by testing your own athletic skills and sportsmanship with a mini Olympics in your backyard or neighborhood park.

Start by selecting three or four "events" to include in your competition. If your kids enjoyed a favorite relay race or athletic competition in summer youth programs or camp, encourage them to teach it to family and friends. Here are a couple more ideas:

Running and Swimming

Let judges watch as the kids and their friends do a quick dash across the yard or a lap across a pool. Make time cards, and hold them up for each competitor, just like in the real Olympics.

Jumping

Place a flat marker in the middle of the yard. Each competitor should get a running start and jump over the marker. Before the athlete moves from his or her landing spot, a designated judge should measure the distance from the marker to where the athlete landed. Scores can be given based on how far the person jumped past the marker.

SHARE THE GOLD

Make paper gold medals for special awards. Giving children praise for hard work, good behavior and sportsmanship helps them view themselves in a positive way.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate